Electrode for diathermy treatment and the like



Sept. 20, 1938.

E J. ROSE ELECTRODE VFOR DATHERMY TREATMENT AND THE LIKE Filed June 1, 1935 INVENTOR. Edgalose, BY M Hill intensa sept. zo, 193s PATENT oFFIcE amata menons ron. marnnaur mmm* Los Angeles, Calif., to Manufacturing Company of California, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application Jue 1, 1935, vsel-uu Nn. 24,493 s claims. (ci. 12s-41s) This invention relates to diathermy apparatus and the like,`and pertains particularly to an advantageous form of treatment electrode which may be associated with a suitable source of high frequency electrical energy to produce high fre- 'quency current flow within body tissues.

The expression diathermy apparatus and the like, as used herein,'is particularly applied to such apparatus as is employed in physio-therapy use, in which high frequency oscillations are employed, to engender a temperature rise in body tissues, but it will be apparent that the scope of employment `of the apparatus herein described is not limited specifically to use on inasmuch as such oscillations may be `advantageously applied to other uses. asin the sterilization of grains or the like.

Numerous' forms of apparatus have been sugf gested for causing a high frequency current flow within body tissues whereby the normal body heat may be raised to an appreciable extent in somewhat localized areas. Two general types of apparatus have been hitherto suggested, namely.,

^ the condenser type and the "electromagnetic" type. The condenser type includes a pair of spaced electrodes between which the desired portion of the patients body may be disposed and caused to function as a dielectric, the two electrodes constituting opposing plates of a condenser. The electromagnetic type of apparatus establishes high frequency current flow in a closed circuit, a portion of which is disposed in helical, i. e.. solenoidal, shape, whereby an electromagnetic field is established, and the portion of the `According to the present ,patients body to be treated i8 disposed Within this magnetic field.

The condenser type of apparatus, when theI customary flat plate electrodes are employed, is somewhat inefficient as far as utilization of the supplied energy is concerned, in that a considerable proportion of the supplied energy is dissipated in the leads which connect the electrodes to the source of energy'. This requires the employment vof a' high frequency generator of relatively high power output in order to produce satisfactory heating effects. Furthermore, the heating effect" on body tissue is confined substantially wholly to the presence of an oscillating electrostatic fleld, which'causes a noticeable surface treatment.

proved type of treatment electrode is provided, which may be disposed in close proximity to -the -body portion under treatment, and which comtissues,

heating of the member undergoingv invention, an imprises an electrode member adapted to produce combined electrostatic and electromagnetic fields of advantageous characteristics within the body tissue. Two such treatment electrodes are preferably employed in opposing relation after the manner of the conventional condenser type of apparatus, the said body portion being disposed between such electrodes. Each of said treatment electrodes preferably also comprises a casing or sheath of insulating material surounding the electrode member and insulating said member from the body of the patient, to form a substantially fiat unit which may be applied to the patients body.

One of the important objects 'of the present invention is to provide a diathermy electrode-arrangement for use in the condenser type? of apparatus which will produce a greater heating effect on body tissues for a given energy input tham electrodes which have been hitherto prototal energy dissipated in the treatment circuit is actually `dissipated between the electrodes themselves, in position to effectively heat the said body portion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a diathermy electrode formed as a fiat spiral of conductive material having a single connection to one side of a source of high frequency electri- 3 cal energy, which electrode is preferably associated with a similar electrode connected to the opposite side of said source, such two electrodes being spaced apart to define a treatment zone within which the desired portion of the patients bodymay'be disposed. 4

The electrode member of the present invention may comprise an open-ended spiral conducftor which may be provided with 'elctrical connection at one point to one side of the source of high frequency energy and spaced from a preferably similarly formed electrode connected to the'other side of said source, to define a treatment zone within which the desired portion of the patients body may be disposed.`

Other objects of the invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, or will be apparent from. such description. The accompanying drawing illustrates preferred embodiments of the treatment electrode and the manner of application thereof, and referring thereto:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic showing of an oscillatory circuit with two electrodes of the present invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 isla partially broken-away plan view of a preferred form of thetreatment electrode;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic showings ci electrodes of the present invention, provided with alternative connection to the source of energy.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown an advantageous form of oscillator and treatment circuit assembly, which may comprise a'power transformer l having a primary i provided with power leads'3 having a switch means 3a and which may be connected to a. suitable source of commercial power supply such as -60 cycle alternating current, a low tension secondary t and a high tension secondary 5, said low tension secondary being employed for energization of iilaments t of triodes 1. The grids 8 of the triodesl are connected through small radio frequency choices d to one side of the secondary d through a suitable lead lil and to the center tap il on the secondary d through a grid leak l2, which grid leak in cooperation with a grid condenser iii connected to the filaments 6 as at i4 constitutes an automatic grid bias. The grids-8' are connected to the plate connection l5 through suitable uned capacities i6, the grid of each tube being connected to the plate circuit of the other tube as shown by the crossed leads i7. 'I'he two plate leads Iii connect the plates t of the respective tubes to opposite l ends of a tank coil i8 and this coil is center tapped through a suitable radio frequency choke it to the other side of the secondary 5. The external or patiens circuit may 'comprise two treatment `electrodes 2li spaced from one another and preferably disposed in spaced parallel planes, between which a portion of the patients body may be disposed as at iii it being appreciated that the electrodes it preferably include suitable casings of an adequate dielectric material such as rubber or the like, as more fully described hereinafter, whereby direct electrical contact with the patient is prevented, said electrodes being provided with leads 2'2 connected across the center portion ci the tank coil it through capacity means iii and iid. One of said capacity means, :for example the condenser 23, is preferably variable, whereby resonance between the internal or oscillatorcircuit and enternal circuit may be controlled to establish a desired current flow in said external circuit. yIt will be understood that any type of oscillating circuit may be employed as a source of high frequency energy for connection to the two electrodes.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, an advantageous type of treatment electrode oi the present invention is shown at 2li, which may comprise a flat openended spiral il formed oi' a suitable electrical conducting material such as a brass or copper Wire, tubing or the like, encased in a suitable insulating material such as a sheath oi rubber or the like 32 to form a substantially fiat unit. i Electrical connection of the spiral di is provided to the lead 22, as through a conductor 33 connected to the spiral 3l as at 34, said conductor preferably suitably encased in an insulating sheath of rubber or the like 35.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5,- the connection to the spiral electrode may be made at a point other than at the outer end thereof as shown speciically in Fig. 3. Where connection is made to the instant. In view of the 33 being the spiral as shown at' 31 in Fig. 5, the strength of the magnetic field produced will depend upon the relation between the eective ampere-turns in the two parts of the spiral provided by the intermediate connection. It will thus be apparent that by connecting the spiral according to ternative procedures, a maximum electromagnetic iield will be obtained with a center connection and any desired decrease in the electromagnetic iield may be obtained by shifting the connection along the spiral to any required position.

As shown in Fig. 1, the two spiral electrodes 2d may be arranged in substantially a co-axial relation and electrically 'connected in such manner that the electromagnetic ilelds thereof are in "opposition, that is, so that the magnetic fields ci` the spirals are opposite in direction at any `given. fact that the spirals are not placed closely adjacent one another, i. e., the planes of vthe two spirals are not closely spaced, this does not result in a total cancellation of the iields, but merely means that a body placed centrally between the two spirals as at 2i would have a magnetic held in one direction at the side thereof facing one electrode, andan opposite field at its other side. Where the two electrodes are so connected that the produced fields are Iin apposition, the iield through the body would be uniform in direction at any one instant. No signincant differences in heating effect have been observed in comparable experiments in which the electrodes are energized oppositely and appositely.

The electrodes oi the present invention are .shown and described as hat spirals, and these nat structures are to be preferred for physiotherapy application in view of the-convenience of handling and applying a dat pad or the like to the patients body, and in view of the desirable electrostatic and electromagnetic ileld characterstics of such nat structures.

.From the above results, it will be seen that the spiral type of electrode is capable or inducing a greater temperature rise for a given current dow in the external circuit than a comparable hat plate electrode.

lit will be understood that the advantages of the present electrode arrangement are particularly realized when two such electrodes are employed in spaced relation to deiine the treatment zone, but at the same time, it will be appreciated that a single electrode of theV present invention may be employed with any other type of electrodel adapted to establish the condenser type of circuit, such as a at plate electrode as above described, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A treatment electrode for diathermy treatment and the like, which comprises an electrical conductor wound in substantially flat spiral form and having at least one electrically open end, and electrical conductor means connected to said spiral at one point only for electrical association of said electrode .with a source of high frequency energy, said point being removed from said open end.

2. A treatment/electrode which comprises an electrical conductor wound in spiral form and trical conductor means connected to said spiral only for electrical association of conductor at one point only for electricalassociation of said electrode with a source of high frequency energy, said point being removed from said open end, and an electrically insulating casing member surrounding said spiral conductor and defining a substantially flat sheath member engaging said spiral conductor and maintaining the same in spiral form.

3. A treatment electrode for diathermy treatment and the like, which comprises an electrical conductor wound in spiral form and having open inner and outer ends, electrical conductor means connected to said spiral conductor at one point said electrode with a source oi' high frequency energy, said point being between said open ends, and an electrically insulating casing member surrounding said spiral conductor and defining a substantially at sheath member engaging said spiral conductor and maintaining the same in spiral form.

4. A treatment electrode for diathermy treatment and the like, which comprises an electrical conductor wound in spiral form and having an outer end and an open inner end, electrical conductor means connected to said spiral conductor at one point only for electrical association of said electrode with a source of` high frequency energy, said point being said outer end, and an electrically insulating'casing member surrounding said spiral conductor and deiining a substantially flat sheath member engaging said spiral conductor and maintaining the same in spiral form. f

5. A treatment'electrode :for diathermy treatment and the like, which comprises an electrical conductor wound in 'spiral form and having an inner end and an open outer end, electrical conductor means connected to said spiral conductor at one'point'only'for electrical association of said electrode with a source of high frequency energy, said point being said inner end, and an electrically insulating casing member surrounding said spiral conductor and dening a substantially fiat sheath member engaging said spiral conductor and maintaining the same in spiral form.

EDGAR J. ROSE. 

